Garment



vent any possible unsightly appearance.

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT Application February 26, 1934, Serial No. 712,976

' 4 Claims. (01. 2-265) The present invention relates to a novel form of construction for attaching fasteners such as buttons and the like to garments.

The general object and nature of the invention is to provide a reinforced area on the garment fabric, to which the attaching thread'for the button or fastener is joined, such reinforcing area not only to serve as a means for increasing the strength of the garment fabric in the environment of the button, but also to provide an ex:- tremely secure and efficient attachment. A further object of the invention is to so construct the button attachment reinforcing means so that it will be concealed by the button and thereby pre- Still another object is to provide an element for stiffening the fabric and to prevent the wrinkling or drawing together of the latter, particularly when a relatively inexpensive or. light garment fabric is .used in conjunction with my invention. Additional objects and advantages shall become ap parent during the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various structural forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the button attachment reinforcing means made according to the principle of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken upon a plane normal-to that of Fig. l and showing that side of the garment fabric opposite to the side upon which the button or fastener is disposed; Fig. 3 is a view of the opposite side of Fig. 2, and with the button or fastener not attached; Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating modified forms of construction; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stiffening or reinforcing disc used in conjunction with the structure shown in Fig. 1.

The reinforcement of button attachments has heretofore been accomplished generally by means of using one ormore additional layers of fabric on the under side of the garment and. passing the button attaching thread through these layers; or by passing the attaching thread through an ordinary chain or button hole stitching, or around a reinforcing cord on the under sideof the gar ment. However, when such prior button attaching means have been used in conjunction with a relatively light or inexpensive fabric; it has been found that the strength of the attachment is inadequate, due to the fact that the threads of the r, fabric have relatively large spaces therebetween, and any force exerted upon the button or fastener merely serves to pull the button, the attaching thread and the reinforcing means completely out between the threads of the fabric.

Therefore, in order to avoid the disadvantages of such prior button attachment reinforcements, the principle of my invention contemplates that first a plurality of reinforcing stitches be disposed on both sides of the face of the fabric, and that 5 these stitches shall penetrate the fabric at points substantially removed from the point of attachment of the button attaching thread.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown therein a garment fabric I upon which there is disposed a plurality of parallel stitches 2. The stitches 2 extend on both sides of thev fabric I and penetrate the latter in a substantially circular line of location. On the under side of the garment, the sitches 2 form abutting loops which in turn are interlocked by means of a reinforcing cord 3. It will be noted that the reinforcing cord 3 is approximately perpendicular to the stitches 2 and is disposed upon a line conforming to the diameter of the circle formed by the points of penetration of the stitches 2. An attaching thread 4 then passes through the holes 5 of the button 6 and engages around the cord 3 and stitches 2, to secure the button 6 to the reinforced fabric structure. 5

A disc I composed of a relatively stiff and rigid fabric, parchment paper having been found to be a very suitable material, may be disposed between the stitches 2 and the fabric 1 on the under side of the garment. .The disc 1 serves the pur- 40 pose of a relatively rigid reinforcement or template which prevents the stitehes 2 from drawing together or puckering the fabric l, particularly when the latter is composed of a relatively light of inexpensive material. 7

In the alternative form of construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and Where a relatively strong fabric l'is used, the disc 1 and reinforcing cord 3 may be omitted, the latter being omitted in both figures, and the disc I being present in Fig. 4 only. 5 As seen from Fig. 4, the attaching thread 4 engages with the stitches in the central portion of the reinforced area, and due to the fact that the stitches 2 consist of a continuous thread, it is only necessary that the loops of the attaching 55 thread 4 engage a few of the stitches, since a slight force on the button 6 will be distributed throughout the remainder of the stitches 2 even though the latter are not directly engaged by the attaching thread 4.

It should also be noted that the area of the fabric covered by the stitches 2 is substantially equal to the area of the button 6. In this manner, the reinforcing threads on the upper side of the garment are concealed from ordinary observation.

It will also be seen that the fastener attaching means above described results in a minimum number of perforations or penetrations of the fabric I at the point Where the loops of the attaching thread 42- must necessarily pass therethrough, and that the points of penetration of the reinforcing stitches through the fabric are substantially removed from the point or area of penetration of the attaching thread. In this manner the concentration of a plurality of penetrating or perforating points of both the button attaching thread and the reinforcing stitches is eliminated, and an unusually strong fastener attachment structure thereby results.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provide-d the .means stated by any of the following claims or the equiv alent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a garment, means for securing a button or the like to the fabric of said garment comprising the combination of a plurality of stitches overlying both sides of said fabric and covering a complete area thereon, said stitches forming loops on the side of said fabric opposite to said button, a cord disposed entirely on one side of said fabric and interlocking said loops, a stiffening piece of relatively ri id fabric positioned between said stitches and said garment fabric, an attaching thread passing through said button, said fabric, said stiffening piece, and around said cord, said stitches passing through said fabric only at points removed and substantially equidistant from the point of penetration of said attaching thread.

2. In a garment, means for securing a button or the like to the fabric of said garment comprising the combination of a plurality of stitches overlying both sides of said fabric and covering a complete area thereon, said stitches forming loops on the side of said fabric opposite to said button, a cord disposed entirely on one side of said fabric and interlocking said loops, a stiffening piece of parchment paper positioned between said stitches and said garment fabric, an attaching thread passing through said button, said fabric, said stiffening piece, and around said cord, said stitches passing through said fabric only at points removed and substantially equidistant from the point of penetration of said attaching thread.

3. In a garment, means for securing a button or the like to the fabric of said garment comprising the combination of a plurality of stitches overlying both sides of said fabric and covering a complete area thereon, said stitches forming loops on the side of said fabric opposite to said button, a cord disposed entirely on one side of said fabric and interlocking said loops, and an attaching thread passing through said button, said fabric and around said cord.

4. In a garment, means for securing a button or the like to the fabric of said garment comprising the combination of a plurality of stitches passing through said fabric at points disposed in a circle, said stitches completely covering over a circular area on both sides of said fabric, said stitches forming loops on the side of said fabric opposite to said button, a cord disposed entirely on one side of said fabric and interlocking said loops, said cord and said loops being disposed on a line diametrical to said circular area, and an attaching thread passing through said button, said fabric, said stitches, and around said cord at a point located centrally of said circular area.

CHARLES E. OATHOUT. 

